Paul Weller fuses New Wave, pop, R&B, and electronic music on his new single, “Earth Beat.” The track finds the former frontman for the Jam and the Style Council singing about feeling hope for a new day with his guest on the song, R&B artist Col3trane. “I feel that Earth beat close to mine,” Weller sings. “I know that Earth beat every time.” The song will appear on Weller’s upcoming LP, On Sunset, which is due out June 12th.
Weller notably plays guitar, bass, sitar, Hammond organ, piano, Rhodes, and synthesizer on the song, in addition to singing, and he also wore many hats on the rest of the album. He also welcomes a number of guests, like Col3trane, to appear on the album. Jim Lea of glam rockers Slade (who wrote “Cum On Feel the Noize” and “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” both of which Quiet Riot covered) plays violin on “Equanimity.” And Mick Talbot, who played keyboards with Weller in the Style Council, played Hammond organ on three songs. Other guests include French singer Julie Gros, a member of Le SuperHomard, the Strypes’ guitarist Josh McClorey, and folk trio the Staves.
The songs came together around the time Weller completed his last LP, True Meanings. “Mirror Ball,” which opens the album, was originally supposed to be a B side to a song from that album, but Weller decided to hold it back.
The soulful sound of “Earth Beat” should come as no surprise to fans of Weller, who has long professed his love of soul and R&B music. In 2017, he made Rolling Stone a list of his five favorite Curtis Mayfield songs, including “The Makings of You,” “Hard Times,” and “We Must Be in Love.”
On Sunset Track List
1. “Mirror Ball”
2. “Baptiste”
3. “Old Father Thyme”
4. “Village”
5. “More”
6. “On Sunset”
7. “Equanimity”
8. “Walkin’ “
9. “Earth Beat”
10. “Rockets”
